I might be too old to live there but I like the East Village. Like you will read on so many other sites, it has the exact right ratio of weirdness and class that makes a neighbourhood interesting. And of course there are secondhand book shops, including East Village Books.
Layout
Taking the stairs down the basement you will find a rather a narrow but elongated room, divided into two lanes by a row of shelves. I would say, maybe not more than 100 sqm? I suck at estimating. There is a tiny nook, for a lack of a better word, on the left side where you can sit/balance on a small chair. At the end of the room you will find a door that leads to an outside section, encased by plywood and plastic tarp. Here you will find the especially cheap books, many of them in very good quality.
Selection
The shop carries the usual mix: Fiction, History, Politics, Art, Music etc, though the owner makes an effort to not drown you in everyday crowd-pleasers. You can find some very good deals here. I’ve seen books in top condition for ~60% of their original price. You have to dig a bit but that’s what makes these places so fun.
Vibe
It’s in a basement. It’s narrow. It’s not hip. Exactly how I like it. The owner is not the most chattiest person but I don’t mind.
IMPORTANT: They take cash only. You might be able to convince them to accept a card but only veeery grumpily.
Verdict
Definitely worth a visit. I can easily spend an hour or more in here.
Location
East Village Books is located on Saint Marks Place, between 1st Avenue and Avenue A. The closest subway lines are the 6 train, N/R train, F train and L train.
Hours
Monday to Friday: 1pm – 11pm
Saturday: 1pm until late
Sunday: 1pm – 9pm